Fourteen teams comprised of yacht captains and crew, Shipyard employees and tenants, and friends in the yachting community, paddled October 7 to raise funds for children with congenital heart defects

October 11, 2016, (Newport, RI) – On Friday, October 7, fourteen teams comprised of yacht captains and crew, Newport Shipyard employees and tenants, and friends in the yachting community, rendezvoused at Newport Shipyard to paddle in the Shipyard’s annual Pumpkin Regatta which raised $3,018 for the Gabrielle Dinsmore Heart & Hope Fund.

Over 200 people attended the event, which the Shipyard organizes and sponsors annually to raise money for different charities. “The weather was ideal and the turnout and camaraderie among the teams was fun to watch and be a part of,” said Eli Dana, Newport Shipyard’s general manager. “Above all, we were pleased to tally up the donations and send a check for over $3,000 to the Heart & Hope Fund, which is a very worthy cause,” Dana said.

Paddlers paid $20 each to race across the Shipyard’s “main street” basin and around a buoy and back in fiberglass pumpkins which were painted orange and accented with ladybugs in honor of Gabrielle Dinsmore. Each team had four paddlers in the relay-style racing, which was timed by Shipyard employees. After two hours of racing (including a last minute re-match between the crew on the J-5 Ranger and the J-8 Topaz, Ranger’s crew prevailed with the best time overall and were awarded four bottles of champagne.